This invention relates to electrical connectors. More particularly, it relates to modular plugs and couplings which are adapted for quick connections and disconnections for data and telephone service in buildings.
In an effort to standardize interface dimensions for electrical connectors, particularly in the telephone industry, the Federal Communications Commission has issued regulations regarding such dimensions. In view of this standardization, the telephone and computer industry has been utilizing modular plugs terminated to cable for various interconnection uses. A typical modular plug is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,982 issued to Hardesty and U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,498 issued Oct. 17, 1972 also issued to Hardesty and are hereby incorporated herein by reference. A standard FCC modular plug may also be seen as item 10 in referring to FIG. 1 herein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,908 issued Jan. 11, 1983 and assigned to the Brand-Rex Company, assignee of the present invention and which is also hereby incorporated by reference, shows an in-line adapter for connecting a pair of modular plugs which are, in turn, terminated to electrical cable. An example of such in-line adapter is shown in FIG. 1 herein, where FCC modular plug 10 is connected to FCC modular plug 12. The modular plugs 10 and 12 terminate multi-pair cables 14 and 16. The in-line adapter 18 includes plastic housing 20 and a plurality of electrical contacts 22. These contacts 22 have free ends 24 and 26 which are secured in the plastic of housing 20. As can be seen, the contacts 22 form a diagonal across the bore cavity 28 of the housing and make electrical contact with the respective contacts in modular plugs 10 and 12. While the in-line adapter which is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,908 has found many uses in the modular plug interconnection field, there are certain applications where the adapter has not found utility.